The demise of the WTO appellate body : lessons for governance of international adjudication?

The World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement system, established in 1995, is the youngest of the systems of international adjudication discussed in this book. In spite of its successful functioning over the past 25 years, it is today, however, also a system in crisis, due to the demise of the WTO Appellate Body, its appeals tribunal. While the WTO dispute settlement system has a number of atypical features, including the existence of appellate review, its crisis nevertheless holds useful lessons for the governance of international courts and tribunals in general.